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Nice write up, Bill. Now I know what to do to reload my 9mm. However, I think that I'll use W-231 for my powder choice as it has been recommended for almost all semiautos. I've got a .45acp to reload for also. Thanks. BC

Win 231 is my go to powder for 124/125 gr lead boolits. 4.1 gr makes PD for IDPA and is very accurate in all my 9MM guns. Unique is a close second but doesn't meter as well. When you are loading 10K - 20 k rounds a year of 9MM for competitions it is nice to have a powder that drops consistent leads from your powder measure. Other powders that work well in the 9MM are Universal and HS-6.

I have a Clays load that I use for my 154 gr boolits in 9MM. 2.6 gr works well to get to a PF of 130ish, enough for IDPA.
Take Care

Bob

[SIZE=3][COLOR=#ff0000]Je suis Charlie

"If the human population held hands around the equator, a significant portion of them would drown"

I sure wished I would of read this 1st. 3 years ago or whenit been written up, I cast casted 5,000 bullets of 3 different molds and went by a book and sized them .003 under size and now lead, I was sure I knew it all,

I never did follow up here, but my .359 loads did just fine in the P1 (P38). Feed reliably,
reasonably accurate (not sure what the limits of the gun are yet) and do not lead.
I haven't had time to do a serious set of tests but it is definitely a workable load
and will keep me plinking with it until I get more serious on load development.

As to W-231 and BE, they should work well, but I seem to have had a bit better
accuracy with Unique. Don't think that this means much for your loads in your gun,
you may find that some other powder is better for your guns.

Robert - I think you misunderstood. I have had great results with Unique.

HDS - As to Vihtavuori powders, sorry never have tried a one. Here they are very expensive,
and I already have many different kinds of pistol powders on hand, so I haven't been out
looking for new ones to try.

I'll be that in Finland they are a lot cheaper than US powders. I suggest you try whatever
one is in the medium fast to medium slow range of burning speed for pistols. Do you have
a burning speed chart that includes the Vihta powders? Find something in the same general
speed range as Unique or faster.

This shows N320 and N330 bracketing the range of speeds that would be appropriate for 9mm,
maybe you'd have some good results with N340, but I'd lean more towards starting with N330
based on the speed chart, and then trying N320, but this is theoretical, I have zero personal experience
with these. Good luck.

Lack of dealers I guess. In Germany they have much more choice but shipping up here seems nigh impossible. Just found out a store in Sweden has accurate, IMR, Winchester and Hogdon powders though and shipping from there might be possible.

There is a simple reason why we have a very limited selection of powders in Finland. Here powder is categorised as EXPLOSIVE (like TNT, ANFO...) In other European countries powder is a "burning substance" (like diesel, terpentine...).

As you can imagine importing EXPLOSIVES is difficult and very expensive. That's why we only have three brands officially available: Vihtavuori, Norma and Hodgdon.

If you ask me the reason for the explosive-status is nothing but protectionism: "If importing powders is expensive enough, Finns will have to buy the domestic brand Vihtavuori..." It seems to work that way, Norma and Hodgdon are VERY expensive.

Just found out a store in Sweden has accurate, IMR, Winchester and Hogdon powders though and shipping from there might be possible.

Forgot that part earlier. Basically shipping from Sweden is a no-go. But if you bring it yourself (and tell no one) there should not be a problem. There isn't much of a border control between Sweden and Finland.

Any tips on what Vihtavuori powder works best for 147gr 9mm bullets? I am considering N340 or N350, I would like something I could share with .45ACP

I'd try 3N37 first. It has become my favorite for 9 mm and other calibers moderate loads with heavier bullets.

Because 3N37 is originally a .22LR powder, it burns cleanly and consistently with out high pressures, has low bulk, the grains are much smaller than f.e. in N350 so it is very easy to measure.

Forgot that part earlier. Basically shipping from Sweden is a no-go. But if you bring it yourself (and tell no one) there should not be a problem. There isn't much of a border control between Sweden and Finland.

The person I asked in the store said it was no problem, they would use bussfrakt (matkahuolto) and it would be 335kr (35 euros i figure) for up to 3kg.

Just remember that the Swedish store is sending you stuff that needs no license to buy or anything like that. So there is no risk for them. But when the powder enters Finland it suddenly turns in to "explosive" that needs importing license ..

Hmm thats a bit worrying, hate to lose my permits because I wanted to buy some powder...

Edit: Would you happen to know which law it is? Looking at a law about explosives (28.5.1993/473) and in chapter 4 (about transfering explosives inside the european economic area) it has an exception for powder and primers for people with the permit to possess them.

Because I'm not sure how it goes, I phoned the local police department. There is a guy who usually knows everything about gun releated laws. But this time even he was puzzled. Now he is asking it from the Ministry of the Interior.

When he knows, he'll tell me. And then we should know for sure if it is legal or not. Ok?

He he not the first time finnish laws are so confusing nobody understands them Same thing with barrels, depending on who I asked at the police if they required a permit or not the answer varied from yes to no.

This what the PD told me. It was quite complicated, but IIRC this is how it goes: up to 2 kg importing is OK. Over that and a permit is required, unless you go and get the powder yourself. Then the limit is higher.

If the stuff is coming over the boarder on a transportation firm, the firm must have the 1.4 transportation licence. F.e. Kaukokiito has the licence. Matkahuolto does not.

PM me if you want to ask straight from the source. I have the phone number.